FADE IN
Scenes depict California's highly diversified economy with shots of various worksites in dozens of industrial settings.

VO: Cal/OSHA Consultation is a free confidential and non-adversarial resource for the job site safety and health needs of California employers and their employees. The Consultation Service gives compliance assistance, helps improve injury and illness prevention programs, conducts seminars, and distributes an extensive list of published information. The service assesses areas where improvement is needed, and works with employers, employees and workers compensation insurance companies to address them.

SEGMENT I - THE FIRST CONTACT: Employers and employees explain their preconceptions about Cal/OSHA and how they first came into contact with the Cal/OSHA Consultation Service.

JW: When I found out that we had an appointment with OSHA I was not real excited about it, I have to admit.

CH: At first when she called, I was "Oh no! OSHA! Run!"

PG: Atilla the Hun, that is sort of what I pictured.

MJ: You never think about them as being someone who can help you, its always someone that can come in and cause you trouble.

VO: The Consultation Service is separate and distinct from the enforcement operations of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. Employers usually come into contact with the Cal/OSHAConsultation Service in one of two ways: Either by inviting Consultation in; or, by being targeted for assistance by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health due to higher than average workers' compensation claims.

RT: So I called a few friends that I know in the industry and they said "call OSHA." And I said "Say what? Call Who?"

PG: What was going to be happening ultimately is that we would be under investigation.

RT: And they said "No, you call Consultation and when you call Consultation they're going to come out and they're going to help you."

KA: After about an hour and a half on the phone she assured me that this was a good visit and that good things were going to happen.

RT: They want to work with you. They want to help you. They don't want to see accidents happen.

ST: They are not allowed to share that information with Compliance, so they're not coming out to sic the watch dog on you.

RT: If you call Consultation and you work with them and you do a good job, typically what'll happen is if Compliance comes in, they're going to leave you alone.

VO: With a staff of about 100 men and women, the Consultation Service provides help to workplaces throughout California.

SEGMENT II - THE CONSULTATION: Employers and employees discuss what occurs during the consultation with scenes depicting their worksites.

MJ: After they were here five minutes I had no problem telling them what I felt about a situation, or why I did something some way, and not worry about repercussions.

LB: We just basically had a conversation about what the company does, what our business is like.

LB: What types of injuries we'd had and how we thought the injuries had occurred.

AJ: And then progressively we came to a very meaningful dialogue as to what could be done and what may need to be done.

PG: And then at that time kind of outlined where we were going to go from here, sort of told us what they were going to do.

AJ: We walked through the operation.

PG: Asked tons of questions, looked at all of our information and then came back with really easy to implement ideas.

LB: Whereas we didn't call her, it was a very lucky day for us when she called us, because it has made a nice difference in our business.

SEGMENT III - THE IMPROVEMENTS: Employers and employees demonstrate the improvements they have made at their work sites while working with Cal/OSHA Consultation and how they have benefitted from the service that they were provided. Scenes show a variety of work being done in various workplaces throughout the state.

FR: We've had a significant decrease in accidents since the inspection has happened. Some of the safety hazards that you run into in the meat department is cutting with the blade here.

MJ: As you can see, as this comes from the factory the guard only comes down to right here; and they thought it was a real good idea that we put an extension on here.

RT: And we're currently having an electrician run electricity over here because this is not safe.

JW: So what we did was, we painted the yellow stripe around. We put sand into it so that the foot actually catches on this.

SL: With a properly designed work area, not only does it make it easier for the operator, but it makes the flow smoother.

TP: After giving it -- the shot -- you would then pull it up, turn it, to your right, and it's locked.

RT: All of our equipment is marked for the disconnect, in case there's an accident you can change it. None of that was in place.

KA: The tongue's actually got to be placed on soft ground on a tripod ladder. There isn't anything that keeps that from sliding out

LB: One thing they talked about was how we could get our insurance costs under control

KA: We talked about claims and how they were having an affect on my experience modification which is what adjusts the difference between what I pay and some other grower who does the same thing but may have a better history or worse history than I do.

LB: The costs had gotten high enough to actually influence the cost of our doing business to the point that we were losing contracts.

TH: We were very interested in pulling that down because by pulling it down; One: it's going to save us money; and two: It's going to save us employees.

LB: So she's given us specific guidelines about what needs to be reported and what doesn't.

VO: The Consultation Service works cooperatively with industry, labor and safety and health organizations to help lower workplace injury and illness rates which can lead to a decrease in workers' compensation insurance costs.

KA: The number of claims that we were submitting for poison oak were drastically affecting how much I was paying in insurance.

PG: We're talking about lowering our workers' comp insurance to the tune of almost twenty-five thousand dollars. Then we got this report, the high hazard employer program analysis and it's pretty amazing.

TH: We got a report that gave us some action items that we could take.

PG: Then not only did I get this but she called me. Did you get this? Do you have any questions? Let's go through it together. Does this all make sense? Is there anything on here you feel like you might not be able to do? I thought, "Wow!"

CH: As if we called her, invited her in and was paying her to consult with us. That's how I felt.

KA: The Consultation Service comes prepared with armies of information.

MJ: They give you a good package that has a good handle on every aspect of safety.

RT: I don't know anything about this hazardous communication program. But they have a video that you can rent.

KA: Videos, literature, things to share with our employees and make this part of our training program.

VO: All communications between the employer and consultation staff are held in confidence and not shared with enforcement staff.

RT: Probably what surprised me the most was that they wouldn't come out and fine me. (Laughter)

LB: And instead it was "Gee it looks like you've really kind of done your best so far, let me offer you this suggestion."

PG: I think what surprised me the most about my experience with Cal/OSHA was how much they empathized with me as an employer.

ST: They were very well versed in all of the compliance requirements, but also very well versed in what our needs were.

CS: If they see an employer that tries to work with them, they try to do the same thing, they want to work with the employer.

BP: But certainly they understand the basic fundamentals of the industry and the problems that we face.

KA: The best part about the consultation service is that I didn't pay a dime.

PG: If I were to pay for this, easily it would have been ten thousand dollars. Without a doubt.

LB: It was the most helpful thing that we've ever done free, that's for sure.

JW: And they're free! (Laughter)

SL: We would recommend this to any industry.

TH: Makes you a better operator.

LB: We have no negative experience with it.

SL: There are no downsides.

TH: Certainly going to make your employees happier if they're safer.

LB: It has all been very productive and time well spent.

VO: The Consultation Service is committed to working with industry and labor to assure safe and healthful working conditions, with a goal of helping employers become self sufficient in their workplace safety and health efforts.

BP: It's tough working in safety and safety related programs. It takes a special kind of person who is genuinely concerned about people.

PG: I felt she was really passionate about the safety field. Which sounds kind of strange -- like how does one be passionate about the safety field? But she is.

MJ: But the nicest thing was that they didn't just walk away.

LB: She gave us her phone number and if we have a question we can call her.

PG: Everything she said she was going to do, she did. And she did it in a timely and professional manner.

ST: Very high integrity, very knowledgeable, very professional people.

PG: Most of the people we deal with have one, two, three at the most of those qualities. But she's a slam dunk.

SEGMENT IV - THE BOTTOM LINE: Employers and employees explain the benefits of using the services provided by Cal/OSHA Consultation.

RT: Ultimately it's going to result in the bottom line.

BP: The bottom line is worker safety.

AJ: In the long run, my premium goes down.

RT: In the long run, you will benefit from it in your bottom line, in your productivity and in everything you do in the workplace.

MJ: I think you'd be stupid not to use it. It is something that your tax dollar is paying for.

RT: If you don't deal with it and you just keep putting it to the side, sooner or later it's going to bite you.

MJ: I want to be up front and it's paid dividends.

ST: We are dedicated and committed to it and we go the extra mile all the way. And Cal/OSHA Consultation has gone hand in hand with us down that road.